When educating yourself about any field, it seems best to me to go straight to the people actually doing the work. The ones in the field, on the set, day after day. The ones for whom the craft isn't theoretical, but a cold practicality, a problem to be solved.

Here are a few filmmaking podcasts that give you close access to talented creators. I've gotten a lot out of them.

3rd & Fairfax | iTunes
The official podcast of the WGAw, 3rd & Fairfax features interviews with writers discussing their latest work, and covers TV as well as features.

The American Society of Cinematographers creates this podcast about the art of capturing moving images. The interviews feel unrehearsed and candid, and feature artists who we typically have less opportunity to hear from.

The Director's Cut | iTunes
This official DGA podcast features a unique format of established film directors being interviewed by their peers. It's fun not only for the educational content, but for the friendships and relationships that are revealed in the discussions.

Host Jeff Goldsmith interviews screenwriters and the occasional director or actor about their recent films, asking in-depth and unique questions. These interviews are approachable for novice and experienced writers alike, as he dives into both breaking-in stories and deep discussions of structure and craft.

Scriptnotes | iTunes
Hosted by working writers John August and Craig Mazin, Scriptnotes is "a podcast about screenwriting and things that are interesting to screenwriters." It's both extremely educational and entertaining, with John and Craig coming at writing from different perspectives and discussing all parts of the process, from breaking in, to craft, to the business, and everything in-between.